Processing of gases flowing into and out of an enclosed space



Se t 27, 1966 W. SKARSTROM PROCESSNG OF GASES FLOWING INTO AND OUT OF AN ENCLOSED SPACE 5 Sheetssheet 1 F'j led May 20, 1963 PATENT ATTORNEY Se t. 27, 1966 C W' SKARSTROM 3,274,75l

PRocESSNG OP GASES FLOWING INTO AND OUT OF AN ENCLOSED SPACE Fi1ed May 20 1963 5 Sheetssheet 2 PATENT ATTORNEY Sept 27, l966 c. W. SKARSTROM PRocESSNG OP GASES FlowNG NTo AND OUT OF AN ENCLOSED SPACE Filed May 20, 1965 5 Sheetssheet 5 PATENT ATTORNEY Sept. 27, 1966 c W. SKARSTROM 3,274,75l

PROcESSNG OE GASES FLOWING NTO AND OUT OF AN ENCLOSED SPAGE F11ed Ma 20' 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 A FLOW BLENDING X CARBON DIOXIDE `/WAT E R VAPOR TRACE COMPONENT INSIDE THERMOS AS 0F CONCENTRAT|0N IN AIR FEED '32 0 0 50 |OO l50 BACK PURGE |NTO THERMOS DRY C02 "/G FREE AIR AS 0F FEED SCFM PATENT ATTORNEY 15 inside box. 'lhis is gd for Winter conditioning of living quarters An apparatus Sin1ilaf to FIGIJRE 4 except that tw0 activated carbon beds (the carbon Was the sanle aS that used in Example 6) in the stopper of a 1-quart therm0s vvere used I/I0ist air vvith the normal (O content (ab011t 300 .p.IT1) vvas OWed into the thefmos through one bed and out the 0ther Flow was Tevefsed every Sec Onds. A smau, dry C0 free ail' stream entefed the therInos directly through line z3 The temperat ure Of operation was 7080 F.; the feed Was 0.z S.c f m. 0f moist air having a dew point of 6Z-7Z F.; the pressure waS atnOSpheric' It was found that the concentrations of H 0 vap01 and C0 within the therns Were sharply 10vver` For instance, II 0 inside the therIn0s vvas down b a factor of 10 With 6% dr iiow. C0 Was down vb a factor of 10 vvith a 3...) dry OW' These tvvo cover the nlajor gaseous atmosphere p0llutants, Particulates such as slTlog, gases, fallout, and other contaminants are ad- Sorbed Ol disengaged by granular beds, Such aS adsorbent )ed T'hus, heatless ventilation n0t only ventilates but can als0 Telieve p0lution fron1 2tn10Sphere-borne contami11ants in hospitals, nuserieS, old age homes, command hideouts, and the like The results are graphically illustrated in FIGURE 11.

In this example the bility of the heatless ventilation a aratus of FIGURE 4 to re ect an external air ollutant vvas c0mpared vvith its abiity t0 expel the Sanle po1111tant generated il1terl1ally Ethylene vvas 11Sed aS a p01lutant. Active carbon (the sanle as f0l Exa[nple 6) vvas used aS the adsorbent. ]thylene vvas added to the Wet air feed to a thefmos sin ilar to that of FIGURE 4 exce t the beds vvere each lled vvith 0 gran1s of activated cab0n. The amount of ethylene vvas 0.22 vol percent based on feed The ethylene inside the thermos vvas Ineasured for various clean air purge rates at a Steady State.

AS an0thef )art of the 6Xperiment, 0.22 V01. percent of ethylene vvas bled directly into the thermos while the wet air feed Was introduced into the carbon beds. 1`he Steady state ethylene concentrati0n vvaS again measured i11side the thermos vvith various clean air purge rates. The results are summarized in FIGURE l2 AS can be Seen from l ICtJI{E 12, internally geIierated ethylene backs up inside the thermos due t0 hindered transport through carbon beds. 'lhe concentration of ethylene is Several times higher than open vvindovv ventila tion on the 0ther hand, externa1 ethylene is held back several times more than open Windovv ventilation. A clean air purge tends to reduce the amount of ethylene inside the the1mos in both cases In suIn, the technique of the invention provides means and processes for a large inand-0ut Ovv 0f gaseous or vaporous materials betvveen tvv0 Tegions vvhile nTinin1izing the tra11sfer of heat and controning the transfer Of moisture between the two Tegions Thus, ventilation can be acc0mplished vvithout undue dissipation 0f the energy expended for heating, c00ling 0I dehumidifying an en c10sed area I'0 111ini1T1ize the transfer of heat or vvater, the Ovv is Teversed cyclica11y through the 'beds before either heat or nT0isture fronts break through There are various techniques and In()(liiications Which can be used to nlaintain the ventilation Excellent Tesults are obtained With large temperature dierences' Moreover, as ha8 been demonstrated, there are certain materials which passes through but vvhich cauSe II to 'back up. Therefore, by proper selection Of materials to be used in the regenerator variou8 Substances can be allowed to pass through the regenerator vvhile 0thers ar held back or backed up.

The crux 0f the invention iS to transport gases etWeen tw0 regions vvith a mininum transport of heat and/or nlinimum or nlaxinlum transpoft of vvater vapor. 1/I0feover, the pressures in all the beds can be similar Thus, thiS technique Of ventilation can introduce ffesh gas Or ail in an area While keeping moisture out and c001ness in in summer and keeping moisture in and warmth in in the vvinter. A180, When Some types of adsorbents such aS activated carbon, silica ge1, 01- m0lecular Sieves are used, various atIn0spheric contaminants Such as hydrocarbons, etc' can be Screened out. Mofeover, roon1 0dors, Smoke, and other contaminants can in S0me instances, be Temoved by =adsorption on a particular adsofbent.

Although the invention has been described With a c ertain degree Of Particularity, it Will be underst00d that Ilumerous changes in the details of the basic inventive technique can be resorted to vvithout departing from the Spirit and Scope 0f the invention as hereinaftef claimed{ What is claimed is:

l A method of ventilating a Tegion c0mprising an enc10sed Space by transferring gaS fron1 Said Tegion to a Second region of a dierent temperature With Substal1 tially no change in the tenlperature of the region c0mprising an enc10sed space which c0mprises in con1bina -tiof1:

(a) Flowing gas cyclically into Said space through a iirst heat transfer Zone which zone provides a passage )etWeen Said regions, said Zone being characterized by a heat capacity greater than the total of said gaS H0Wing through it per cycle,

(b) Sil11ultaneous1y OWing gas cyc1ically outside of Said space through a Second heat transfer zone Which second Zone provides a passage betvveen Said regions, Said Second Zone being characterized by a heat capacity greater than the heat capacity of the total of Said gas Howing through it per cycle,

(c) simultaneous1y introducing a Second Strealn of relatively dry gas as c0mpared to the gas in Said enc10sed Space into said enc10sed Space,

(d) Cyclically alternating the direction of oW of gas through Said 1irst zone and Said Second Zone, Wherein the ii0vv of gas through the Zones iS Such that Sllb Stantially no breakthfough of the heat vvithin Said Zones occurs and vvherein Ovv through a Zone int0 0ne 0f said regions is accompanied by HOW out of the salne region through the other zone.

2. A method according to clain1 1 Wherein Said gas 3- A method according t0 claim 1 Wherein said zones contain packing 111aterial 4. A method according t0 claim 3 Whel'ein Said packing n1aterialis glass beads' S. A method according to claim l vherein Said zones contain carbon 6. A nlethod according to claim 1 vherein Said en c10sed Space is a structure.

7. A method acc0rding to claim l Wherein Said en C10Sed Space is a Toonl in a Stl1cture 8. A method according t0 claim 1 Wherein Said zones contain materials selective to moisture A Inethod according t0 claim 8 Wherein a certain portion of gas from vvithin said closed region iS allowed to escape from said region vvithout assing through said Zones 10' A method acco1ding to clainl 8 Wherein Said en closed space contains Ineans for Teducing hu1T1idity therein 11. A metllod according t0 claim 8 Wherein Said closed Tegion c0ntains a co01ing means lz A Inetd acc0fding t0 claiIT1 1 Wherein Said Zone contains materials selective t0 atlT1()spheric p01lutants 13. A nlethod of ventilating a region comprising an enc10sed Space by transfeTing gas ff0n said region t0 a second region of a dierent n10isture content While controlling the transfer of m0isture betwen the two regions which comprisesin combination:

(a) Flowing gas cyclicany int0 Said space through a St oiStu e transfer zone Which Zone pr0vides a 17 passage between said regions and is characterized by the ability t0 femove a Substantial portion of the n10isture content in the gaS passing thfough it el' cycle,

(b) Sil11l1taneously i0wing gas cyclically olltside 0f Said Space through a second n10isture transfer zone Which zone provides a passage between said Tegions and Which zone iS chafacterized by the ability t0 remove a substantial portion of the n10iSture C0I1- tained in the gas passing through it per cycle,

(c) Sin1ultane0usly intr0ducing a Second Stream of Telatively dry gas as compared to the gas in said enc10sed Space int0 said enc10sed space,

(d) Cyclically a1ternating the direction of OW of gas through said iirst and Second zones, wherein the How Of gas through the zones is such that substantia11y n0 bfeakthrough of the n10isture Within Said Zones occurs and Wherein OW through a Zone into one of said regions jS acc0mpanied by 0W out of the Same Teg on through the other Zone.

14. A method according to claim 13 Wherein said Zones als0 Serve as heat .transfer Zones and the ovv of gas through said Zones is Such that there is substantially no bfeakthrough 0f the heat front Within Said Zones leferenceS Cited by the Exalniner UNITED STATES PATENTS l,496,670 6/l924 Floyd 9832 l,679,ll6 7/1928 Dragger l28140 l,808 177 6/1931 Putter 128140 l 926 29 9/1933 Martin 983z 2,73z 027 l/19S6 Wanin Sj162 Z 9SS 673 10/1960 Iennedy et al SS62 X 3 18Z 43S /196 Axt 62 X 3 19Z 686 7/195j Berkey et al. SS62 X 

13. A METHOD OF VENTILATING A REGION COMPRISING AN ENCLOSED SPACE BY TRANSFERRING GAS FROM SAID REGION TO A SECOND REGION OF A DIFFERENT MOISTURE CONTENT WHILE CONTROLLING THE TRANSFER OF MOISTURE BETWEEN THE TWO REGIONS WHICH COMPRISES IN COMBINATION: (A) FLOWING GAS CYLICALLY INTO SAID SPACE THROUGH A FIRST MOISTURE TRANSFER ZONE WHICH ZONE PROVIDES A PASSGAE BETWEEN SAID REGIONS AND IN CHARACTERIZED BY THE ABILITY TO REMOVE A SUBSTANTIAL PORTIN OF THE MOISTURE CONTENT IN THE GAS PASSING THROUGH IT PER CYCLE, (B) SIMULTANEOUSLY FLOWING GAS CYCLICALLY OUTSIDE OF SAID SPACE THROUGH A SECOND MOISTURE TRANSFER ZONE WHICH ZONE PROVIDES A PASSAGE BETWEEN SAID REGIONS AND WHICH ZONE IS CHARACTERIZED BY THE ABILITY TO REMOVE A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF THE MOISTURE CONTAINED IN THE GAS PASSING THROUGH IT PER CYCLE, (C) SIMULTANEOUSLY INTRODUCING A SECOND STREAM OF RELATIVELY DRY GAS AS COMPARED TO THE GAS IN SAID ENCLOSED SPACE INTO SAID ENCLOSED SPACE, (D) CYLINDRICAL ALTERNATING THE DIRECTION OF FLOW OF GAS THROUGH SAID FIRST AND SECOND ZONES, WHEREIN THE FLOW OF GAS THROUGH THE ZONES IS SUCH THAT SUBSTANTIALLY NO BREAKTHROUGH OF THE MOISTURE WITHIN SAID ZONES OCCURS AND WHEREIN FLOW THROUGH A ZONE INTO ONE OF SAID REGIONS IS ACCOMPANIED BY FLOW OUT OF THE SAME REGION THROUGH THE OTHER ZONE. 